In her book The Imperfect Garden, author Melissa Assaly presents a simple story with a big message. The story is about a mother and her young son who plant a garden together and enjoy the fruits and vegetables they grow. Not all the vegetables look like the ones they see in the grocery stores; there is a two legged carrot, a bumpy apple, and curly cucumber and they all taste delicious even though they look odd. The message is clear; don’t judge anything by its appearance because appearances are not important in the big picture. Another suggested message is that it is foolish to throw away food because it looks different. Any way you look at it, accepting diversity is a good thing and judging things by their appearance alone is not.
The book is aimed at young readers 3-8 years old and has large somewhat realistic illustrations of mom and son in light primary colors as they go about their gardening tasks. The font is clear although not large, and the test is easy to read. The mom and son are clearly not white, are of average attractiveness, and have a very wholesome appeal all of which adds to the depth of the story. The story itself is so simple it is hardly a story but the messages that are conveyed are important.
To buy The Imperfect Garden from Amazon.com click here.